In November 2025, Nia Sioux published a memoir titled Bottom of the Pyramid, about her experience growing up in the public eye. Being a former star from the hit Lifetime television show, Dance Moms, most of her childhood was filmed and broadcasted. Your childhood into teenage years are such pivotal and transformative components of our upbringing. To grow up in the environment she did, she expressed how it certainly took an emotional toll on her mental health and self-esteem. Nia’s book sheds light on her personal experience of growing up on live television and navigating life afterwards.Â
Being a fan of Dance Moms since season one aired in 2011, Sioux’s book was truly inspiring and eye-opening. Being a young viewer, I was not always aware of the emotional toll the show was causing to these girls. Unfortunately, I was young and naive, simply watching for my own entertainment. Reading about Sioux’s experience now that I am grown and more aware of the harsh environment Dance Moms was, I can sympathize more with the struggles she had faced. She brought a lot of attention to the racism and unequal opportunities that her dance instructor, Abby Lee Miller, had bestowed upon her. Whether it was through sly comments, minimal solo offerings, or stereotyped dance themes, this racial bias was happening continuously. Sioux expressed how being so young during the time this treatment had begun, she was unaware of the gravity and mal-intent behind it. In my perspective as a young viewer, I also didn’t read much into the motive behind this treatment. From my own perspective, I watched her embody spunky and expressive roles in her dances, loving her ability to perform them so well. However, I was unaware of the cruel stereotyping being done behind the scenes in restricting her to those dance styles specifically. I now can understand the unfairness in her dance opportunities and can sympathize for that little girl who was just excited to dance.Â
Now I am aware I must address the elephant in the room, that I met Abby Lee Miller. This is indeed true and not being used as clickbait. Back in the early seasons of the show, I woke up one morning to an instagram post that there was a meet and greet happening 30 minutes away from me. I knew at that moment I had to do everything in my power to get there. Fortunately, I was able to attend the meet and greet and got to meet: Abby Lee Miller, Kenzie Ziegler, Maddie Ziegler, Kendall Vertes, and Gianna Martello. Additionally, I got to meet the girls’ mothers, Melissa and Jill. Even though each of these girls are actually just ordinary people from a small town in Pittsburgh, I was ecstatic to be meeting them in person. It was the most exciting thing for my young self to meet the cast of my favorite tv show. Although the event was simple, I got to experience Abby Lee Miller in real time. This was a memorable experience, as she was very similar to the television version of herself. She was stern with fans taking photos, critiquing the angle the camera was being held at. There was even a pause in the meet and greet for her student, Maddie, to help refresh Abby’s hairstyle. As surreal as it felt to experience this in real time, it overall confirmed the type of person Abby is on and off camera.Â
My experience of meeting some members of the Dance Moms cast was something I knew I would never forget. Over a decade later, all the memories are still fresh in my brain. However, witnessing them in-person, unscripted, helped shape my perspective of them as individuals. It also allowed me to connect back to Sioux’s book with her mentioning that she and her mom no longer join the team at meet and greets. Although I was so excited to meet any members from Dance Moms, you could feel the missing piece without the whole team being there. It’s eye-opening how so many years later I can finally understand as to why Nia and her mother were not in attendance.Â
As jarring as some of Sioux’s stories are, I am able to believe her side of the story. She told her story from her own perspective, and that included the ugly moments. Although most of the negativity stemmed from Abby’s treatment to Sioux, she expressed moments of it influencing the other girls on her team. Even if they did not say anything straight to her face, she could feel the distance and silent judgments. It may be surprising to some readers that she was treated poorly in multiple aspects, other than just Abby. However, I am not entirely surprised. When an authoritative figure in your life already dictates so much of what you do, you naturally will follow their lead. It’s important to note the other cast members were young and naive, therefore unaware that their distance from Sioux could cut so deep. She did include moments that were cherishable and worthwhile, but it seems the bad outweighed the good.Â
A note from Sioux’s book I can appreciate is her mother and daughter bond. Sioux made it a point to discuss the immense support her family offered her throughout her journey to fame. It was clearly a rocky road, but her family was by her side through everything. The member who was literally by her side was her mother, Holly Frazier, who was also on the show. Holly is a mom who always maintained classy and powerful. Although she had to watch her daughter face such poor treatment, she would not give in and cause a scene similar to the other mothers. She always remained composed, even while making a point. She refrained from using any foul language on the show, as she was held to a high standard being the principal of a school. You could tell from the way she held herself that she was a well educated and respectful woman. Sioux made it clear how much she leaned on her mom through dark times, but how she also was heavily inspired by her mom’s courage and determination. This always made Holly stand out from the other mothers on the show, and for that I applaud her.Â
Regardless of the battles Sioux had to face to reach a solid point in her career, she refused to be left defeated. Nia Sioux has written multiple songs, performed in an Off-Broadway show, and acted in a television series. She also graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts in American Literature and Culture. No matter how challenging the journey was to start her career, she pushed through and has numerous achievements. Her journey is highly admirable, with how much she showcased her dedication into making a name for herself, and not just being categorized as a background dancer from Dance Moms. Bottom of the Pyramid was full of grit, hard truths, and determination. This is a story I highly recommend to all.